Robert E. Lee Day
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
- Florida (on January 19)
- Confederate Memorial Day
- Lee-Jackson Day
- Lee–Jackson–King Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials
Robert E. Lee Day is a state holiday in parts of the Southern US, commemorating the Confederate general Robert E. Lee.[1] It is rooted in the rise of the Lost Cause myth prevalent throughout the Southern United States, as Lee was a central figure in Lost Cause mythology due to his social status, military exploits, and personality.[2]
Current observances
In Tennessee, January 19 (Lee's birthday) was established as a holiday in 1917. In 1969, it was changed to a "special day of observation" in the state. Since then, state law requires the governor to proclaim each January 19 "Robert E. Lee Day".[3][4]
Texas made "Lee Day" a holiday in 1931.[5] In 1973, "Lee Day" was renamed Confederate Heroes Day.[6]
Florida Statute 683.01(d) marks January 19 as Robert E. Lee Day, although no offices or schools close down for it.[7]
Alabama[8] and Mississippi[9][10] observe it on the third Monday in January, in order to split the date with the federal holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day.[11]
Past observances
Arkansas combined the observance of Robert E. Lee Day with Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1985, after two years of requiring state employees to select between the two holidays or their own birthday as a day off from work.[12] In 2017, it passed a law removing General Lee's name from the January holiday; the law also established a state memorial day on the second Saturday of October in honor of Lee.[13]
Virginia observed a holiday honoring Lee on January 19 from 1889 until 1904, at which time Stonewall Jackson was added to the observance and the holiday renamed Lee–Jackson Day. The combined holiday was observed on the Friday preceding the third Monday in January. In 1983, the holiday was merged with Martin Luther King Jr. Day when the latter became a federal holiday. In 2020, with a Democratic governor and both houses of the state legislature controlled by Democrats, the observance of Lee–Jackson Day was abolished.[14]
Georgia formerly called the Friday after Thanksgiving Robert E. Lee Day; now it is only an unnamed paid holiday.[15]
See also
References
- ^ Berkow, Ira (November 10, 1990). "Sports of the Times: Dr. King and the Super Bowl". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "Memorialization of Robert E. Lee and the Lost Cause - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. National Park Service. September 14, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ "Tennessee Gubernatorial Proclamation of January 3, 2013" (PDF).
- ^ Allison, Natalie (July 12, 2019). "Gov. Bill Lee Signs Nathan Bedford Forrest Day Proclamation, Is Not Considering Law Change." The Tennessean (Tennessean.com). Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "TEXAS CONFEDERATE HEROES DAY AND CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY" (PDF). Texas Division United Daughters of the Confederacy.
"House Bill 126, 42nd Legislature Regular Session. Chapter 8. Approved and Effective January 30, 1931 as Robert E. Lee's Birthday.; Senate Bill 60, 63rd Legislature Regular Session. Chapter 221. Approved June 1, 1973 and Effective August 27, 1973 as Confederate Heroes Day. This bill deleted June 3rd as a holiday for Jefferson Davis' birthday and combined the two into Confederate Heroes Day."
- ^ Rodriguez, Jakob; Gray, Japhanie (January 19, 2021). "What is Confederate Heroes Day and why do Texans still celebrate it today?". KSAT - Omne - Graham Media Group. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Company, Tampa Publishing (January 19, 2016). "Today in Florida, it's Robert E. Lee Day". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ Little, Becky (January 13, 2017). "The Controversial History of Martin Luther King Day". National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
Three states celebrate civil rights leader Martin Luther King and Civil War General Robert E. Lee on the same day.
- ^ Holpuch, Amanda (January 14, 2017). Written at New York. "Mississippi city faces backlash after calling MLK Day 'Great Americans Day'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
The incident, however, highlighted an awkward truth about Mississippi's Martin Luther King Jr Day: that it is also Robert E Lee Day.
- ^ "Mississippi State Holidays". ms.gov. Mississippi Secretary of State. January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ "Governor: Right to split King, Lee day". Magnolia Banner News. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ "Arkansas Ends Robert E. Lee-Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday". NBC News. Associated Press. March 22, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Associated Press (March 17, 2017). "Arkansas lawmakers vote to remove Robert E. Lee from holiday honoring MLK". Politico. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ Rankin, Sarah (February 24, 2020). "Va. Lawmakers Pass Bill Ending Lee-Jackson Holiday". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Bluestein, Greg (November 24, 2017). "Why today is no longer Robert E. Lee day in Georgia". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018.
Further reading
- Gore, Leada (October 16, 2015). "Georgia Does Away With Confederate Memorial Day, Robert E. Lee Birthday". The Birmingham News. Birmingham, Ala.
- v
- t
- e
- New Year's Day (federal)
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (federal)
- Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos (PR)
- Confederate Heroes Day (TX)
- Eve of Three Kings' Day (PR, religious)
- Feast of Epiphany / Feast of Theophany (religious)
- Fred Korematsu Day (AZ, CA, FL, HI, VA)
- Idaho Human Rights Day (ID)
- Inauguration Day (federal quadrennial)
- Kansas Day (KS)
- Makar Sankranti / Pongal (religious)
- Robert E. Lee Day (FL)
- Stephen Foster Memorial Day (36)
- The Eighth (LA)
- Three Kings' Day (PR, VI, religious)
- World Religion Day (religious)
- Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year (NY, cultural, religious)
- Vasant Panchami (religious)
American Heart Month
Black History Month
- Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín (PR)
- Candlemas (religious)
- Charles Darwin Day / Darwin Day (CA, DE)
- Day of Remembrance (CA, OR, WA, cultural)
- Georgia Day (GA)
- Groundhog Day
- Imbolc (religious)
- Lincoln's Birthday (CA, CT, IL, IN, MO, NY, WV)
- National Girls and Women in Sports Day
- National Freedom Day (36)
- Nirvana Day (religious)
- Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple (religious)
- Promised Reformer Day (religious)
- Ronald Reagan Day (CA)
- Rosa Parks Day (CA, MO)
- Saviours' Day (religious)
- Susan B. Anthony Day (CA, FL, NY, WI, WV, proposed federal)
- Tu B’shvat (religious)
- Ash Wednesday (PR, religious)
- Carnival (PR, VI, religious)
- Clean Monday (religious)
- Courir de Mardi Gras (religious)
- Intercalary Days (religious)
- Mahashivaratri (religious)
- Purim (religious)
- Shrove Tuesday (religious)
- Super Tuesday
Irish-American Heritage Month
Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Women's History Month
- Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos (religious)
- Casimir Pulaski Day (IL)
- Cesar Chavez Day (CA, CO, TX, proposed federal)
- Emancipation Day in Puerto Rico (PR, cultural)
- Evacuation Day (Suffolk County, MA)
- Harriet Tubman Day (NY)
- Hola Mohalla (religious)
- Holi (NY, religious)
- L. Ron Hubbard's Birthday (religious)
- Lailat al-Mi'raj (religious)
- Liberation and Freedom Day (Charlottesville, VA, cultural)
- Mardi Gras (AL (in two counties), LA)
- Maryland Day (MD)
- Medal of Honor Day
- National Poison Prevention Week (week)
- Nowruz (cultural, religious)
- Ostara (religious)
- Pi Day
- Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Day (HI)
- Promised Messiah Day (religious)
- Saint Joseph's Day (religious)
- Seward's Day (AK)
- Texas Independence Day (TX)
- Town Meeting Day (VT)
- Transfer Day (VI)
- Trans Day of Visibility (cultural)
- Good Friday (CT, NC, PR, NJ, VI, religious)
- Hanuman Jayanti (religious)
- Holy Thursday (PR, VI, religious)
- Holy Week (PR, religious, week)
- Lazarus Saturday (religious)
- Mahavir Janma Kalyanak (religious)
- Mesha Sankranti / Hindu New Year (religious)
- Palm Sunday (PR, religious)
- Passover (religious, week)
- Easter Monday / Bright Monday (VI, religious)
- Ramnavami (religious)
- Chandramana Uugadi / Souramana Uugadi (religious)
Arab American Heritage Month
Confederate History Month
Asian American and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Military Appreciation Month
- Memorial Day (federal)
- Mother's Day (36)
- Cinco de Mayo
- Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh (religious)
- Ascension of Our Lord (religious)
- Caliphate Day (religious)
- Declaration of the Bab (religious)
- Harvey Milk Day (CA)
- International Workers' Day / May Day (CA, unofficial, proposed state)
- Law Day (36)
- Loyalty Day (36)
- Malcolm X Day (CA, IL, proposed federal)
- Military Spouse Day
- National Day of Prayer (36)
- National Day of Reason
- National Defense Transportation Day (36)
- National Maritime Day (36)
- Peace Officers Memorial Day (36)
- Pentecost (religious)
- Shavuot (religious)
- Truman Day (MO)
- Vesak / Buddha's Birthday (religious)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Pride Month
- Bunker Hill Day (Suffolk County, MA)
- Carolina Day (SC)
- Don Young Day (AK)
- Fast of the Holy Apostles (religious)
- Flag Day (36, proposed federal)
- Helen Keller Day (PA)
- Honor America Days (3 weeks)
- Jefferson Davis Day (AL, FL)
- Kamehameha Day (HI)
- Litha (religious)
- Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (religious)
- Odunde Festival (Philadelphia, PA, cultural)
- Senior Week (week)
- Saint John's Day (PR, religious)
- West Virginia Day (WV)
- Asalha Puja Day (religious)
- Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (PR)
- Birthday of Dr. José Celso Barbosa (PR)
- Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands (VI, cultural)
- Guru Purnima (religious)
- Khordad Sal (religious)
- Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (HI, unofficial, cultural)
- Martyrdom of the Báb (religious)
- Parents' Day (36)
- Pioneer Day (UT)
- Puerto Rico Constitution Day (PR)
- Tisha B'Av (religious)
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Labor Day (federal)
- Brazilian Day (NY, cultural)
- California Admission Day (CA)
- Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (36)
- Constitution Day (36)
- Constitution Week
- Defenders Day (MD)
- Elevation of the Holy Cross (religious)
- Feast of San Gennaro (NY, cultural, religious)
- Ganesh Chaturthi (religious)
- Gold Star Mother's Day (36)
- His Holiness Sakya Trizin's Birthday (religious)
- Mabon (religious)
- National Grandparents Day (36)
- National Payroll Week (week)
- Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos (religious)
- Native American Day (proposed federal)
- Patriot Day (36)
- Von Steuben Day
Hispanic Heritage Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
Filipino American History Month
LGBT History Month
- Columbus Day (federal)
- Halloween
- Alaska Day (AK)
- Child Health Day (36)
- General Pulaski Memorial Day
- German-American Day
- Indigenous Peoples' Day
- International Day of Non-Violence
- Leif Erikson Day (36)
- Missouri Day (MO)
- Nanomonestotse (cultural)
- National School Lunch Week (week)
- Native American Day in South Dakota (SD)
- Nevada Day (NV)
- Spirit Day (cultural)
- Sweetest Day
- Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles (religious, week)
- Virgin Islands–Puerto Rico Friendship Day (PR, VI)
- White Cane Safety Day (36)
Native American Indian Heritage Month
- Veterans Day (federal)
- Thanksgiving (federal)
- Ascension of ‘Abdu’l Baha (religious)
- All Saints' Day (religious)
- Beginning of the Nativity Fast (religious)
- Beltane / Samhain (religious)
- Barack Obama Day in Alabama (Perry County, AL)
- D. Hamilton Jackson Day (VI)
- Day after Thanksgiving (24)
- Day of the Covenant (religious)
- Discovery of Puerto Rico Day (PR)
- Election Day (CA, DE, HI, KY, MT, NJ, NY, OH, PR, VA, WV, proposed federal)
- Family Day (NV)
- Guru Nanak Gurpurab (religious)
- Hanukkah (religious)
- Lā Kūʻokoʻa (HI, unofficial, cultural)
- Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (religious)
- Native American Heritage Day (MD, WA, cultural)
- Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (religious)
- Trans Day of Remembrance (cultural)
- Unthanksgiving Day (cultural)
- Advent Sunday (religious)
- Alabama Day (AL)
- Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (religious)
- Bodhi Day (religious)
- Chalica (religious)
- Christmas Eve (KY, NC, SC, PR, VI)
- Day after Christmas (KY, NC, SC, TX, VI)
- Festivus
- HumanLight
- Hanukkah (religious, week)
- Immaculate Conception (religious)
- Indiana Day (IN)
- Kwanzaa (cultural, week)
- Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (religious)
- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (36)
- Nativity of Jesus (religious)
- Old Year's Night (VI)
- Pan American Aviation Day (36)
- Pancha Ganapati (religious, week)
- Rosa Parks Day (OH, OR)
- Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (religious)
- Wright Brothers Day (36)
- Yule (religious)
- Zartosht No-Diso (religious)
(federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies